Natural critical thinkers

In this age of unprecedented change, you will need critical thinking skills to separate real news from fake news, truth from lies, and to distinguish information from knowledge.

At Notre Dame, our Core Curriculum will empower you with the fundamentals of critical thinking. It will provide life-long skills – essential for a new generation of CEOs, entrepreneurs, leaders and global citizens.

Employers seek graduates who can think critically, creatively and compassionately. Every Notre Dame student is encouraged to develop these skills through the Core Curriculum, which examines perennial themes, theories and ideas that relate to today’s society.

Through the study of Philosophy, Ethics and Theology, the Core Curriculum allows you to collaborate with students of all disciplines, solve problems, ask questions and consider how you can achieve your career ambitions while building a better world.

The Core offers a wide range of modules, so you’ll be able to select subjects of interest and relevance to your studies. You’ll develop the skills to thrive in any workplace – one of the factors that makes Notre Dame the #1 NSW and the #1 WA university in Federal Government surveys for 'Overall quality of educational experience', 'Overall employer satisfaction', 'Skills development' and 'Learner engagement'.

Philosophy has a beautiful way of making you look at the world in a different way. It allows you to tap into things that you might not have thought about before.

Jesse – Philosophy

PHILOSOPHY seeks to find the truth about humanity, our world and our actions. At Notre Dame we study Western Philosophy, which forms the foundation of modern disciplines ranging from economics and mathematics to psychology, sociology and linguistics.

ETHICS explores key concepts such as human purpose and happiness, needs and rights, virtues and duties, justice and charity. It examines what it means to know and do what is good. Thinking about these questions will help you consider the way that personal and professional life are in constant interaction. Acting ethically is a crucial element of meaningful leadership and innovation in any field.

THEOLOGY examines the nature of God and religious belief. Explores the Catholic Intellectual Tradition through the complementary roles of Faith and Reason.

Read our blog, written by one of our students, to find out more about what a liberal arts education means for you.